Improvement in medicine-spoons



1. L. COLBY & Leaps. THOMSON.

M edicine Spoons.

Patented June 17v 1873.

AM, PHarp-umaa/WH/c 00. M1 (ossomvs moms) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC JAMES L. COLBY AND LE ROY B. THOMSON, OF SAXONVILLE, MASS IMPROVEMENT IN MEDlClNE-SPOONS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 139,944, dated J une 17, 1873; application filed February 15, 1873.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that we, JAMES L. COLBY an LE ROY B. THOMSON, of Saxonville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Nursery-Spoon, of which the following is a specification:

Figure 1 is 'a longitudinal vertical section of our invention on the line 0 c, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a top View of the same, and Fig. 3 is a ver' tical transverse section on the line a; m, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts.

The object of our invention is to supply a spoon for the nursery by the use of which the ad ministering of medicine to children is greatly facilitated, without spilling the medicine. It may also be manufactured in larger sizes, and be placed on suitable supports on the bedtable, so that the medicine may be filled into it before the actual time of taking has arrived.

The invention consists in the improvement of medicine-spoons, as hereinafter described and pointed out in the claim.

In the drawing, A represents the body of the spoon, to which is attached, at the connecting-point between bowl and handle, by means of hinges on, the convex cover B, of the same size of the bowl, and resting edgewise upon it. A crescent-shaped opening, I), at the foremost part of cover B, serves, when the same is thrown open, as; a rest for the vial, to steady the handfor counting the drops of the medicine; when closed, for the purpose of allowing the contents of the bowl to flow freely into the mouth of the patient. Cover B protects the medicine against the blowing out and spilling, the joints between cover and bowl admitting air enoughto allow the contents to run freely. To the lower side of the bowl are connected, either permanently or temporarily, the bracket support 0, the upper parts cl projecting slightly over the cover B, so as to act as snap catches and close the same tightly on the bowl. The legs 0, of bracket 0, project in semicircular shape, and are provided with flattened ends, so as to rest securely on the table or other object. To the lower side of the handle is hinged the straight support D, which, together with bracket 0, sustains the spoon in such a position that the medicine is level in the bowl and does not spill. It may be put in the bowl, so that the patient may readily take it himself at the time appointed.

By this method of supporting the spoon the disagreeable and inconvenient propping of the same to other objects, books, 850., may be avoided. The hinged support D may be turned under the handle, and, being formed in the same shape, may be conveniently stored away orinserted in a spoon-holder with other spoons.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent- The medicine-spoon body A, having hinged cover B, with crescent-shaped opening on top, a leg support, 0, beneath, and a hinged leg, D, supporting handle end as described.

JAMES L. COLBY. LE ROY B. THOMSON.

Witnesses:

F. O. STEARNS,

Josnrn B. TOWN, BENJAMIN THOMSON. 

